Apparatus for oiling parts



y 1949- D. c. ROBSON APPARATUS FOR OILING PARTS Filed Dec. 21. 1945INVENTOR D. C. ROBSON A T TORNEY Patented May 31, 1949 APPARATUS FOROILING PARTS Duer C. Robson, Baltimore, Md., assignor to WesternElectric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application December 21, 1945, Serial No. 636,403

4 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for oiling parts and moreparticularly relates to apparatus for oiling rollers of conveyer chains.

In the operation of conveyers having actuating rollers for actuatingparts of the conveyers, it is necessary to oil the rollers. A conveyerhaving a large number of such rollers requires considerable time to oilthe rollers manually.

An object of the invention is to provide new and improved apparatus foroiling parts.

Further objects of the invention are the provision of apparatus forautomatically oiling rollers of conveyer chains while the conveyerchains are in use.

One apparatus embodying the invention includes a tank for retaining oiltherein and a gravity-biased rocker pivotally attached to the tank andextending into the path of rollers of a conveyer chain. A wick securedto the rocker extends into the tank and wipes the rollers as theyadvance along the path, whereby the wick coats the rollers with oil.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from thefollowing detailed description of an apparatus for oiling parts formingone embodiment thereof, when read in conjunction with the appendeddrawing, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of anapparatus for oiling parts embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section taken along line 2-Z of Fig. 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, a conveyer I!) (Fig. 1) includestracks ll-ll along which tracks a roller chain I2 is advanced bysuitable means (not shown). The roller chain is supported between thetracks by support rolls l5-| 5.

A trip roll [6 (Fig. 2) having a, liner l8 positioned therein is securedby a bolt I9 upon an axle 28. The axle is secured to an extension 2|which is secured to supporting plate 22 carried by the chain l2.

A tank 25 for containing a supply of oil 26 has a bracket 21 projectingtherefrom. A metallic arm 30 (Fig. 2) having a wick 32 fitted thereto issecured pivotally to the bracket 21 and is provided with a bracket 35for this purpose.

A lower portion 36 of the metallic arm 30 is slightly curved andnormally hangs in the path of the actuating roller I6. An upper portion31 of the metallic arm is curved about a relatively short radius and theupper end 38 thereof normally engages the irmer portion of the tank 25and limits the downward movement of the lower portion 36 of the metallicarm. An end portion '40 of the wick 32 is free and is positioned in thesupply of oil 26, whereby the oil permeates the entire unimmersedportion of the wick by capillary action.

The trip roll l6 (Fig. 2) is provided with oil bores 4 l-- l l, whichare aligned with the oil bores 42- 12 formed in the liner E8. The oilpasses through the bores ll-4| and 42-42 to the axle 20, whereby therelatively movable surface of the liner 1 8 and the axle 20 is coatedwith oil.

In the operation-of the apparatus, the roller chain 12 (Fig. 1) isadvanced along the tracks l 1-! l by suitable advancing means (notshown) toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 1. The trip roll [6 (Fig. 2)carried by the chain I2 is advanced into contact with the wick 32 andmoves the wick and the metallic arm 30 upwardly as it is advancedtherepast. Meanwhile, the trip roll l6 and the liner l8 are rotated onthe axle 20 by the drag of the wick 32 upon the trip roll. As the rollit rolls along the wick 32, the weight oi. the metallic arm 30 pressesthe wick tightly against the trip roll and oil which has permeated thewick is squeezed into the oil bores M-fll. The oil passes through theoil bores ii-4i into the oil bores 42-42 formed in the liner l8 throughwhich the oil passes to the axle 20, whereby the axle and the liner arelubricated. After the trip roll it has been advanced out of contact withthe wick 32, the lower portion of the metallic arm 30 drops to itsfull-line position so that the next trip rolls (not shown) carried bythe roller chain l2 will contact the wick 32, and the operationdescribed hereinabove will be repeated.

The apparatus described hereinabove serves to lubricate trip rolls,illustrated by the trip roll l6 efilciently and automatically. The onlyattention required for the apparatus is that the supply of oil 26 mustbe replenished when necessary to prevent complete depletion thereof.Thus large numbers of actuated rolls may be lubricated automatically.

What is claimed is:

1. In a conveyer including a track and a conveyer element which may beadvanced along the track in a predetermined direction, an oiler whichcomprises an oil tank positioned above the track, an arm pivotallyconnected to the oil tank with the lower end thereof urged by gravityinto the path of the conveyer element, and a wick covering the approachside of the arm and extending into the tank, whereby oil in the tank isconducted by the wick to the conveyer element.

2. In a conveyer including a conveyer element and a track for guiding aconveyer element therealong as the conveyer element is advanced in apredetermined direction, an oiler which comprises a tank for retaining asupply of oil therein, a curved arm pivotally attached to the tank insuch a, position that the upper end thereof projects into the tank andthe lower end thereof is forced by gravity into the path of the conveyerelement; .thezapproachlside of the armzb eing. con.- vex, andawick'extending along the approach side of the arm from the lower end ofthe arm to the upper portion thereof and depending into the supply ofoil, whereby the conveyenelementlcon, tacts the wick as it is advancedpast the oiler and the arm squeezes oil outofrtl'ie wick onto; theconveyer element.

3. In a conveyer including a conveyer-element having a trip rollprojecting laterallytherefrom; and a track for guiding the conveyerelement therealong in a predetermined direction; an oiler whichcomprises a tankpositioned above the track forrretaining a" supply, of:oil; .aicurvedarm. pivote mounted" onthe: tank; with. the. lower endthereof extending downward-lyv into thelpath of the trip roll, and awick serving as alfacingzfor thezapproachiside vof thezarm, thek upperend of the; wick extendinggbexond: theupper end of the arm. andprojecting; into... the, supply of oil, whereby oil iscconvey ed,bycapillary actionirom the upper. end ofathewickatmthelower end thereofand is squeezedtherefrommpon the trip r011 when the rollisadvancediintorcontact with the wick}.

4-; In a-.convey er; including, =a-.pair of tracks, a roller chainguidedialonggtheepair-of tracks in a 4 predetermined direction, alaterally projecting axle carried by the roller chain, a hollow rollhaving a bore extending from the exterior thereof to the interiorthereof mounted rotatably upon the axle, an oiler which comprises a tankpositioned above the tracks for containing oil, an arm pivotally securedto the tank, the upper end of said armbeing curyredihavingaashort radiusand projecting into the tank and i the lower end of the arm dependinginto the path of the hollow roll, and a facing of wick materialextending, from the lower end of the approach side of the arm into thesupply of oil, the roll serving to engagerzanm roll along the facingwhen it is advancedpast the oiler, whereby the lower end of the facingand the lower end of the arm are forced upwardly; and oil is squeezedfrom the facing into the bores formed in the roll.

DUER C. ROBSON.

REFERENCES GIT-ED J The following: references are of*rec0rd'in the fileof this patent-z UNITED. STATES PATENTS.

Number; Name. Date 7 35114811 Adams Oct. 19', 1886 FEOREIGNPA'I'ENTSNumber Country. Date 5,417: GreatuBi-itain i-.. 1905 320,062; FranceAug. 8; 1902 774; 584 France;- Sept;:.24, 1934

